US won’t allow Iran to shut down Strait of Hormuz, Panetta vows

NBC News

The U.S. military will not allow Iran to shut down the Strait of Hormuz, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta said Wednesday, adding that if Iran tries to disrupt the vital waterway, they will be defeated.

Iran’s leaders have threatened to close down the Strait unless sanctions against their critical oil shipments are lifted. The Pentagon chief said the U.S. will not allow either Iran or any of its allies to stop shipping through the Strait.

“Iranians need to understand that the United States and the international community are going to hold them directly responsible for any disruption of shipping in that region by Iran or, for that matter, by its surrogates,” Panetta said, adding, “and the United States is fully prepared for all contingencies.”

Panetta’s comments came on the heels of the Pentagon’s announcement that the U.S. Navy would accelerate the deployment of the USS John Stennis carrier group to the Gulf region. The more than 5,000 sailors will deploy about four months earlier than originally scheduled so the U.S. can maintain a two-carrier presence in the area through the end of the year.

Speaking with his British counterpart after their early-morning meeting, Panetta said that the U.S. has invested in capabilities in the region to “ensure that the Iranian attempt to close down shipping in the Gulf is something that we are going to be able to defeat if they make that decision to do that.”

Secretary Phillip Hammond echoed Panetta’s sentiments, saying that the deployment of the USS John Stennis carrier group to the Gulf sends a “powerful signal” to Iran.

Hammond’s comments came just days after Pentagon Press Secretary George Little denied that the accelerated deployment of the Stennis was a direct response to tensions with Iran.

“This is not a decision based solely on the challenges posed by Iran,” Little said on Monday, adding that the deployment of the Stennis is not intended to send a signal to Iran.

Readying up the world for a more plausible false flag.
U.S.A.: prepare for food shortages and ultra long lines at the gas pump. Of course the gas will probably double in price if available to the serfs at all.

Don’t forget to stock up on non-perishables, sugar, tea, rice, pasta, pet food, aspirin, canned juice, etc.
Iran has been overtly threatened since 2003 by US and Iz, though they have remained calm even in the face of IZ assassinations, they are under enormous pressure.

As Americans sleepwalk into WW3, it feels like Lawrence Welk cueing up “a one ana two”. Go back to sleep. This is just too horrific to stay awake for. The Iran bashers smell blood in the water. The asylum is almost in a state of bedlam. The Persian gulf is going to be the red sea with all the blood about to be spilt. Americans need to bone up on geographing so they know whats killing them. Without oil America will be crawling to stores to paw empty shelves. All of this because they denied the truth of 911.